TCLA Direct Training Contract Applications Discussion Thread 2023-4

[norothrow324]

Has anyone heard back from bird and bird? i havent heard of anyone here that has applied?

 

[Zaidoz10]

@Jessica Booker a question on the CMS Middle East TC app says “How could CMS use technology to help you further your legal career?” I’m not really sure how to approach this question and which points I should focus on. Do you have any advice on how I should approach this question? Thank you!

 

[allwillbewell]

Has anyone heard back from bird and bird? i havent heard of anyone here that has applied?

Hoping to start my application next week!

 

[axelbeugre]

@Jessica Booker a question on the CMS Middle East TC app says “How could CMS use technology to help you further your legal career?” I’m not really sure how to approach this question and which points I should focus on. Do you have any advice on how I should approach this question? Thank you!

Hey @Zaidoz10, I hope you are doing okay!

This is a really interesting question but I can see how it can be quite confusing to answer. I can share some considerations that I noted down last year when I went to Dentons Open Day and they thoroughly talked about the subject. Some tips that I can give you based on that are:

• Efficient Document Management:
  • You should discuss how CMS can utilise technological tools to streamline important document management, making it easier to organise and access legal documents, research materials, case files, and correspondence.
• Collaboration and Communication:
  • You should emphasise the importance of collaboration and communication tools that CMS may use to facilitate teamwork with colleagues, clients, and partners. Mention features like chat, shared calendars, and task assignments. This is of major important especially for important deals or court cases where fast communication between lawyers is essential. I am assuming that technology would improve this point a lot in the future.
• Automation of Repetitive Tasks:
  • You might want to explain how technology in the legal sector in general, and consequently at CMS, can automate repetitive tasks such as document generation, contract review, and compliance tracking, allowing you to focus on higher-value legal work.
• Data Analysis and Research:
  • You should highlight the potential of AI and machine learning within the legal sector in assisting in legal research, analyse large volumes of data, and provide insights into legal cases and precedents.
• Document Version Control:
  • I would also mention the importance of technological tools able to help prevent errors and disputes by tracking changes to legal documents and maintaining a clear audit trail. This is of major importance for litigation where the drafting of documents to submit to courts has to be spot-on with no errors.

Be specific in your response, giving examples of how the integration of technology benefit CMS and its lawyers as well as the work that they do. I hope this is useful!

 

[Zaidoz10]

Hey @Zaidoz10, I hope you are doing okay!

This is a really interesting question but I can see how it can be quite confusing to answer. I can share some considerations that I noted down last year when I went to Dentons Open Day and they thoroughly talked about the subject. Some tips that I can give you based on that are:

• Efficient Document Management:
  
  • Discuss how a CMS can streamline document management, making it easier to organise and access legal documents, research materials, case files, and correspondence.
• Collaboration and Communication:
  
  • Emphasise the importance of collaboration and communication tools within the CMS to facilitate teamwork with colleagues, clients, and partners. Mention features like chat, shared calendars, and task assignments.
• Automation of Repetitive Tasks:
  
  • Explain how technology can automate repetitive tasks such as document generation, contract review, and compliance tracking, allowing you to focus on higher-value legal work.
• Data Analysis and Research:
  
  • Highlight the potential of AI and machine learning within a CMS to assist in legal research, analyse large volumes of data, and provide insights into legal cases and precedents.
• Document Version Control:
  • Mention the importance of version control features that help prevent errors and disputes by tracking changes to legal documents and maintaining a clear audit trail.

Be specific in your response, giving examples of how the integration of technology through a CMS can benefit your legal career, and consider tailor it to (potentially) your past experiences.

Thank you so much for your detailed response! Although just to clarify, the CMS I’m referring to is the law firm and not the software. Regardless your response has given me a lot of ideas on how I can approach this question. Thank you!!

 

[futuretraineesolicitor]

slaughters rejection for direct tc - applied 3 sept

 

[Jessica Booker]

@Jessica Booker a question on the CMS Middle East TC app says “How could CMS use technology to help you further your legal career?” I’m not really sure how to approach this question and which points I should focus on. Do you have any advice on how I should approach this question? Thank you!

@axelbeugre has given you some great pointers here. Make sure the answer is particular to you too and how you are technology being able to help you as an individual in your career.

 

[norothrow324]

Does anyone have any insight into how application decisions work practically? Is it all automated and sent at once or individually per applicant? Stupid question but deep into overanalysing lol

 

[axelbeugre]

Thank you so much for your detailed response! Although just to clarify, the CMS I’m referring to is the law firm and not the software. Regardless your response has given me a lot of ideas on how I can approach this question. Thank you!!

@Zaidoz10 I just edited to focus solely on the law firm, hope this is much of help! Good luck with the application!

 

[Jessica Booker]

Does anyone have any insight into how application decisions work practically? Is it all automated and sent at once or individually per applicant? Stupid question but deep into overanalysing lol

It won’t be fully automated - it will require someone to process a decision on the system, but then the emails are automatically sent from the system one a decision has been made.

Decisions might be made individually or in blocks of candidates, or in one go. It really depends on the firm’s approach.

 

[Izzy1026]

Hi! I have just received an interview invitation for Slaughters TC. Has anyone here done it before? Would really appreciate some tips and advice

 

[allwillbewell]

Slaughters PFO!

 

[annakat]

Hi! I have just received an interview invitation for Slaughters TC. Has anyone here done it before? Would really appreciate some tips and advice

Congratulations!! May I ask when you submitted your application?

 

[BM99]

Slaughters PFO!

Sorry to hear that, is that a tc or winter workshop?

 

[allwillbewell]

Sorry to hear that, is that a tc or winter workshop?

Direct TC

 

[norothrow324]

Hi! I have just received an interview invitation for Slaughters TC. Has anyone here done it before? Would really appreciate some tips and advice

Congrats! Around when did you apply?

 

[axelbeugre]

Hi! I have just received an interview invitation for Slaughters TC. Has anyone here done it before? Would really appreciate some tips and advice

Congratulations! Such an amazing achievement!
I spoke to some of my friends who went through the process last year and they all said that what you should focus on is:

1. Show a strong motivation for commercial law: be very confident in your reasons why you want to be a lawyer and especially a commercial lawyer. This will show them your commitment to the profession!
2. Articulate very clearly why you want to join the firm: this means knowing your genuine reasons as to why you want to join the firm and I would also emphasise whether you would want to stay and have a long career there since this is one of the things that they seem to preach the most about the firm.
3. Have a very good commercial awareness: this was one of the key points all my friends and the people I spoke to emphasised. They said that it is really important to be commercially sound and know how a certain business news affect the legal sector. It seems as though a lot of people who are not successful did not manage to show their commercial awareness to the best of their abilities, so I would say to work on it.
4. Be very professional: be mindful of how you are dressed and you present to the partners, professionalism is key at S&M so I would embrace this heavily.

I hope these tips are helpful and good luck with the interview and congratulations for making this far!

 

[Izzy1026]

Congratulations!! May I ask when you submitted your application?

September 7th! Got an email two weeks later asking me to update my grades details but I did not have the info then because of marking strike. Submitted my latest grades to them last Friday and got the interview this morning

 

[Izzy1026]

Congratulations! Such an amazing achievement!
I spoke to some of my friends who went through the process last year and they all said that what you should focus on is:

1. Show a strong motivation for commercial law: be very confident in your reasons why you want to be a lawyer and especially a commercial lawyer. This will show them your commitment to the profession!
2. Articulate very clearly why you want to join the firm: this means knowing your genuine reasons as to why you want to join the firm and I would also emphasise whether you would want to stay and have a long career there since this is one of the things that they seem to preach the most about the firm.
3. Have a very good commercial awareness: this was one of the key points all my friends and the people I spoke to emphasised. They said that it is really important to be commercially sound and know how a certain business news affect the legal sector. It seems as though a lot of people who are not successful did not manage to show their commercial awareness to the best of their abilities, so I would say to work on it.
4. Be very professional: be mindful of how you are dressed and you present to the partners, professionalism is key at S&M so I would embrace this heavily.

I hope these tips are helpful and good luck with the interview and congratulations for making this far!

Thank you so much! This is really helpful and I will be sure to work on it

 

[NJS]

For Mcdermott Will's TC app - Which financial/business story in the news of the last six months has caught your imagination and why?, Do I have to relate the story to the firm, its only 150 words.